Frank Pope
        b. 1911 in Niagara, New Zealand
        d. 1987 Richmond, New Zealand

Margaret Pope
        b.1913 Waikawa, New Zealand

People of great reserve, love and a determination to do what is right, are the legacy from Frank and Margaret to our family.

At first, my impression of these two fine people was from the ever-changing viewpoint of a growing lad. A consistent theme was their commitment to provide food and shelter for their family.

The conditions through which they entered adulthood, marriage and parenthood would be regarded by today's standards as primitive but perhaps they had a better quality of life.

The sheer physical nature of their daily routine meant a down to earth approach to life. This was probably why my father and mother had such a strong work ethic primarily charged with ensuring the family were clothed, housed and fed.

When I reflect on the early thirties, I wonder when my parents slept. As people fired with ambition they embraced the challenge of the land that surrounded them and the opportunities that were available.

The land gave them their living, first sawmilling then a dairy herd and later running sheep on the farm they bought in 1944. Before becoming the proud landowners of Connor's Farm at Haldane, Frank and Margaret had lived with their young family near the sawmills serving Catlins Forest Park at Progress Valley and Waikawa.

It was at Waikawa that the family spent the winter in a tent.The family at that time comprised my three elder brothers Frank III, Ian and Alan.

Every morning Frank senior would drove the growing herd of dairy cows to a paddock outside the Niagara Mill. He would then spend the day tending the mill's steam engine and performing duties as a sawyer before herding the cows home for the evening milking.

While never talking about our ancestors I have discovered that the courage and determination of my parents runs throughout the history of the Pope family. Of them both, it could be said, still waters run deep. They were creative individuals readily sharing their talents with the family and the community.

Margaret was a member of the Women's Division of Federated Farmers, the first family member to be in the federation. She was an Anglican, Frank a Presbyterian. I have always wondered what Dad's Christian experience was. It has always puzzled me, he never said anything critical of the Church or Christianity.

On the sports field both Frank and Margaret excelled with Dad a wood chopping champion and rugby representative for Southland. Both were accomplished tennis players. Mum played representative hockey and remembers very well one glorious encounter when playing in the
North Island

Grow old along with me!
The best is yet to be.
The last of life, for which the first was made.
Robert Browning "'Rabbi Ben Ezra"